6 Moray Place, Edinburgh

Moray Place forms one of Edinburgh's grandest neoclassical terraces, designed by James Gillespie Graham in 1822. This monumental composition comprises a symmetrical 55-bay palace block arranged as a five-part in-canted frontage. The centrepiece is an imposing four-storey and basement, 11-bay central pavilion flanked by two three-storey, attic and basement, 18-bay linking terraces, which are themselves terminated at each end by four-storey and basement, four-bay pavilions.

The entire terrace is built of polished ashlar sandstone with V-jointed rustication to the principal floor. Horizontal emphasis is provided by a base course, a band course between the basement and first floor, a cill course at first floor level, a cornice at second floor level, a string course at second floor level on the linking blocks, and a cornice with blocking course at third floor level. The central pavilion and the central sections of the linking blocks feature corniced friezes at impost level. Ashlar steps and entrance platts project over the basement level.

The southwest principal elevation of the central pavilion (housing numbers 8, 9 and 10) has its central five bays projecting forward from the already advanced 11-bay block. This creates a dramatic layered façade enhanced by engaged Doric columns flanking the central five bays at first and second floors, with Doric pilasters flanking the remaining bays at the same levels and panelled pilasters at third floor level. The principal floor features four-panel timber doors in the centre and at the outer left and right positions. Number 10's door has glazed upper panels and a decorative iron grill. Number 8 has a decorative part-radial, part-umbrella semicircular fanlight, while numbers 9 and 10 have plate glass semicircular fanlights. The remaining bays at principal floor level have windows set in round-arched recesses, with regular fenestration above. A flagged basement area runs along the front.

The south linking terrace (numbers 2 to 7) extends for 18 bays arranged in a three-part in-canted polygonal composition of 3, 9 and 6 bays. The central nine bays form a pavilion with the central three bays and outer bays projecting further forward; the central three bays are crowned by a blank pediment. Engaged Doric columns flank the central three bays and outer bays at first and second floors. Number 4's four-panel timber door sits to the right of centre at principal floor level with a radial semicircular fanlight, while numbers 3 and 5 occupy the outer left and right bays with plate glass semicircular fanlights. Windows in round-arched recesses fill the bays to the left of centre at principal floor, with regular fenestration elsewhere, though the central bay at third floor is blank and a penultimate bay from the right has an infilled window at this level.

Number 2, a three-bay house to the right of the central pavilion, has a four-panel timber door with plate glass rectangular fanlight in the left bay at principal floor, with windows in the remaining bays and regular fenestration above. This house has been raised from three to four storeys. Numbers 6 and 7, a pair of three-bay houses to the left of the central pavilion, have four-panel timber doors in their right bays at principal floor—number 6 with a plate glass rectangular fanlight, number 7 with glazed upper panels and a radial rectangular fanlight. At number 2, first floor windows are architraved with cornices removed, and second floor windows are architraved. At numbers 6 and 7, first floor windows are architraved with cornices, and second floor windows are architraved. Number 7 has also been raised from three to four storeys. A flagged basement area extends along this section.

The north linking terrace (numbers 11 to 16) mirrors the southern arrangement but with 18 bays arranged 6, 9, 3 in a splayed three-part in-canted composition. The central nine bays again form an advanced pavilion with the central three bays and outer bays projecting further, the central three bays topped by a blank pediment at third floor level. Engaged Doric columns flank the central three bays and outer bays at first and second floors. Number 14's four-panel timber door with plate glass semicircular fanlight occupies the bay to the right of centre at principal floor, with numbers 13 and 15 in the outer left and right bays, also with plate glass semicircular fanlights. Windows in round-arched recesses appear at the centre and left of centre, with regular fenestration elsewhere, though the central bay at third floor is blank.

The pair of three-bay houses to the right (numbers 11 and 12) have four-panel timber doors in their left bays at principal floor with plate glass rectangular fanlights, windows in remaining bays at principal floor, and regular fenestration above. Number 16, a three-bay house to the left of the central pavilion, has a four-panel timber door with plate glass rectangular fanlight in its right bay at principal floor, windows in remaining bays at this level, and regular fenestration above. First floor windows are architraved with cornices, and second floor windows are architraved at numbers 11, 12 and 16. A flagged basement area extends along this elevation.

The south terminal pavilion (number 1) is a four-bay block with Doric pilasters flanking bays at first and second floors and panelled pilasters at third floor level. A four-panel timber door with radial semicircular fanlight sits in the bay to the right of centre at principal floor, with windows in round-arched recesses in the remaining principal floor bays and regular fenestration above. A flagged basement area lies in front.

The north terminal pavilion (number 17) matches this arrangement with Doric pilasters at first and second floors and panelled pilasters at third floor level. Its four-panel timber door with decorative semicircular fanlight occupies the bay to the left of centre at principal floor, with windows in round-arched recesses in remaining principal floor bays and regular fenestration above. A flagged basement area extends in front.

The return elevation along Darnaway Street to the south terminal pavilion extends for five bays before becoming 11 Darnaway Street (listed separately). The return elevation along Doune Terrace from the north terminal pavilion extends for five bays to become 10 Doune Terrace. This features Doric pilasters flanking bays at first and second floors and panelled pilasters at third floor level. A four-panel timber door with blind radial semicircular fanlight sits in the penultimate bay from the left at principal floor. Windows in round-arched recesses occupy the remaining principal floor bays, with regular fenestration above, though blind windows appear in the outer left bay at first floor and above, in the outer right bay and penultimate bay from right at first floor and above, and in the penultimate bay from left at attic level. A flagged basement area extends along this section.

Throughout the terrace there is a variety of plate glass timber sash and case windows. The roofs are grey slate with M-profiles. Number 6 has a pair of lead-roofed rectangular dormers; numbers 11 and 12 each have pairs of lead-roofed rectangular dormers; number 16 has a pair of polygonal piended dormers. Cast-iron rainwater goods serve the buildings. Anthemion and palmette window guards appear in first floor bays at numbers 3 to 11 inclusive, 14, 16 and 17, and in the central bay at number 2. Number 12 has a decorative iron window guard spanning three bays at first floor, while number 15 has one spanning two bays at centre and right at first floor level. A variety of ridge and wallhead stacks, corniced and coped with circular cans, punctuate the roofline.

The interiors were not seen during the 1998 survey. However, the entrance halls of numbers 2 to 6 are known to have a Greek Doric theme, with a Corinthianesque order at number 3. Number 8 has a circa 1900 Adamesque theme. Number 15's entrance hall features an anthemion frieze.

The terrace is fronted by ashlar copes surmounted by cast-iron railings with fleur-de-lis and urn finials. Cast-iron lamps with glass globes are mounted on the railings.

The development includes mews buildings behind the main terrace. Numbers 1 to 7 Gloucester Square date from the earlier 19th century and form an L-plan row of seven single storey and attic, three-bay mews buildings. They are built of coursed rubble with droved and polished ashlar dressings and long and short quoins.

The northeast principal elevation comprises a row of five mews buildings with number 7 recessed. There is an irregular arrangement of vertically boarded timber doors—part-glazed with a three-pane rectangular fanlight at number 3, with a plate glass rectangular fanlight at number 4, six-panel with blind rectangular fanlight at number 5, and three-pane rectangular fanlight at number 7. A variety of pairs of windows break the eaves at attic level, with rectangular dormerheads at numbers 3, 4 and 7, and gabletted dormers at number 5. Various vertically-boarded timber garage doors include two-leaf and multi-leaf folding doors and sliding doors, some with glazed upper panels, with timber and stone lintels. Number 5 has a part-glazed modern timber garage door infill. A later coped brick wall adjoins numbers 3 and 2 at the left, with a single six-pane window and a brick-infilled segmental-arched pedestrian gate.

The west elevation shows number 1 with a pair of modern garage doors at ground floor, three irregularly spaced windows at attic level, and a skylight to the left of centre. Number 2 has a vertically-boarded modern garage door to the left and a 12-pane timber sash and case window to the right at ground floor, with a pair of piended dormerheads breaking the eaves at attic level. The north elevation presents a blank gable.

The east elevation facing Gloucester Lane shows the rear elevations of numbers 1 and 2. Number 1 is predominantly blank with a window centred at ground floor. Number 2 has a modern timber door with three-pane rectangular fanlight to the left of centre, flanked by a recessed modern vertically-boarded garage door with modern lintel to the left and a pair of windows to the right. At attic level there is a pair of windows flanked by a pair of piended dormerheads breaking the eaves. A single storey modern garage stands at the outer left.

Numbers 5 to 10A Gloucester Lane form a row of seven single storey and attic, predominantly three-bay mews buildings from the earlier 19th century, stepped down to the north. They are built of coursed rubble with droved and polished ashlar dressings and long and short quoins.

The east principal elevation has an irregular arrangement of various garage doors, including two-leaf vertically-boarded timber garage doors in a segmental-arched opening at number 6, and vertically-boarded folding timber garage doors with glazed upper panels at numbers 6 and 9. An irregular arrangement of predominantly modern timber doors with plate glass rectangular fanlights appears along with irregular fenestration, including bipartite rectangular dormerheads breaking the eaves at numbers 6 and 7. A later single storey rendered garage stands at the outer right. The south elevation is a blank gable. The north elevation adjoins the Gloucester Square mews buildings described above. The west rear elevation was not seen during the 1998 survey.

Throughout the mews buildings there are predominantly timber sash and case windows. The roofs are grey slate. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted. A variety of stacks, coped with circular cans, serve the buildings. Coped skews finish the gable ends.